Dubai: Farah Al Khojai edged out Lynn Al Reda to claim the top honours in the season-ending EEF Dressage Championships that concluded at the Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club (DPEC) on Saturday.
Farah, who achieved a rare feat of making it to the final at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, finished with the second day of the competition on board Mazurka Graffen Dubai Duty Free with a collated 65.29 per cent, marginally better than Al Reda's 64.11 per cent and 62.54 per cent awarded to third-placed Christina Calin Thompson, riding Webster.
Though tied on scores at the end of the first day, Farah had been placed second to Thompson. But on Saturday, the rider from Sharjah kept her focus and came through with a good performance to land the top spot in the competition.
"It was extremely tough in this competition, but it is results like these that keep me going," she told Gulf News.
Dianne Breeze continued from where she left off on the first day with a clinical performance that saw her take the top honours in the FEI Juniors Test (Advanced Medium) and the FEI WDC Medium Test on board Bellissimo Vita.
Tracy Gill was another consistent performer. Neil Abrahams, Head of Racing at Emirates Equestrian Federation (EEF), was pleased with the enthusiasm shown by the participants. "I think it was a good two days of dressage," he said at the presentation in the presence of Farhang Sadeghi, Equestrian Manager at DPEC.
Results:
FEI WDC Preliminary Test (Novice): 1. Tracy Gill/Erkan - 68.37%; 2. Jayne Streeting/April 68.26%; 3. Karen Stewart/Dau Al Kamr 65.23%.
FEI WDC Elementary Test: 1. Tracy Gill/Erkan 64.68%; 2. Vincent Flores/Ocapi 63.44%; 3. Lesley Jones 61.67%.
FEI WDC Medium Test: 1. Dianne Breeze/Bellissimo Vita 69.59%; 2. Dara Blackney/Pikarda 61.17%; 3. Reem Al Abbar/Webster 61.5%.
FEI Juniors Test (Advanced Medium): 1. Dianne Breeze/Bellissimo Vita 68.2%; 2. Susanna Foustock/Tristan 65.27%; 3. Lynn Al Reda/Tartan Special 63.03%.
FEI Young Riders (Advanced): 1. Farah Al Khojai/Mazurka Graffen Dubai Duty Free 65.29%; 2. Lynn Al Reda/Tartan Special 64.11%; 3. Christina Calin Thompson/Webster 62.54%.
